Why was my SMS marked as spam on a phone?
SMS messages can sometimes be marked as spam by the recipient’s phone, even when they were successfully delivered. This filtering happens on the device itself, not on the mobile network and not within Mobile Message.
Both Android phones and iPhones now include built-in spam filtering in their messaging apps. These filters use automated systems to detect messages that look similar to known spam. Because this process is automated, legitimate business messages can occasionally be flagged by mistake.
On iPhone
Apple’s Messages app can move suspected spam messages into a separate Spam or Filtered folder, instead of showing them in the main inbox. If a message is filtered, the recipient will not see it in their normal conversation list.
To check for filtered messages on an iPhone:**Open the Messages app, tap Filters at the top left, then tap Spam or Filtered (the wording may vary slightly depending on iOS version).
If a legitimate message is found there, the recipient can open it and choose Not Spam. This moves it back into the main inbox and helps the phone treat future messages from that sender normally.
On Android
Many Android phones, especially those using Google Messages, include built-in spam protection. Suspected spam messages may be moved to a Spam & Blocked folder or hidden from the main inbox.
To check for filtered messages on Android: Open the Messages app, tap the menu (usually three dots), then tap Spam & Blocked.
If the message appears there, the recipient can mark it as Not Spam. This restores it to the inbox and reduces the chance of future messages being filtered.
Why this happens
Spam filters look at patterns such as unknown senders, message content, and behaviour commonly associated with unwanted messages. They are designed to protect users, but they are far from perfect**. Because filtering happens on each individual device, we cannot override or disable it from our side.
If customers report not receiving messages, it is worth asking them to check their phone’s spam or filtered folder and mark the message as not spam if appropriate.